Tenth Generation
9536. Laura Belle PHILBRICK2052 was born on 14 October 1894 in Richmond, Fort Bend, Texas.2051,2052 She appeared in the census on 6 June 1900 in Fort Bend County, Texas.493 Age 5, born Oct 1894 Texas, father born Massachusetts, mother Louisiana, living with parents. Name on census: Belle Filbrick. She appeared in the census on 25 April 1910 in Houston, Harris, Texas.493 Age 16, separated, born Texas, father born Massachusetts, mother Lousiana, living with mother. Name on census: Bell Holland. Laura appeared in the census on 10 April 1930 in Houston, Harris, Texas.493 Age 36, married, born Texas, father born Massachusetts, mother Texas. She was living with husband Robert, 39, and children Maybelle, 14, Robert E. Jr., 11, Rosemary, 7, Edward L., 4, and Edith F., 2. Also living there was her mother Hannah. Name on census: Loura B. Birmingham. She died on 17 July 1961 at the age of 66 in Houston, Harris, Texas.2052 She was buried at Brookside Memorial Cemetery in Houston, Harris, Texas.2052 Laura Belle was known to all as Grandma. Of course her children called her Mama but she was grandma. She was also one of the very finest human beings I have ever known. When Mom and I first moved to Post street in Houston I was only 5 years old. Mom had to work to support us so grandma watched over me during the day. The part of Houston we lived in was a little rustic because there were no utilities in the area and therefore the house did not have electricity or indoor plumbing. We all bathed in a #3 wash tub getting hot water from a kerosine cook stove. The toilet was about 100 feet behind the house and the water well was just outside the back door and produced the sweetest and best tasting water you could imagine. Later on I found out the well was about 55 feet deep and the water would rise in the well pipe to within a couple feet of the ground surface. The area was a piney wood Forest and always smelled fresh and clean. It was not long before I spent more time in the woods than the house area. I would often spend all day in the woods and would eat the goodies grandma packed for me. When it came to eating meals in the house there were a few rules that needed to be understood. First, there was no talking at the table except to ask for something. There was a specific time to eat and if you wanted to eat you needed to be there at meal time. It was always necessary to wash before eating, otherwise you didn't eat. On those occasions when there was company for Sunday dinner (Lunch) children were never allowed to eat at the same time as the adults. This was never a problem for me because grandma would always see to it that I had the best of all of the food and besides it was not important for me to sit at a crowded table of adults who often broke rule #1, talking. Sometimes on a hot summer day grandma would surprise me with a slice of watermelon or cantaloupe. Grandma loved me and helped to spoil me rotten. There were occasions when grandma refused to cook and those times were the Sunday breakfasts when Papa wanted calf brains and eggs. Papa cooked it and he and I ate the whole thing. I could not see myself eating Calf brains now but then, if Papa ate it I would too, no questions asked. Grandma had a bad hip. I am not sure what the problem was but at one point in time she spent 6 months in a body cast. (The 6 month time may not be accurate but it is what I recollect it being) When the cast was removed she walked with a very severe limp. Even after I had grown to adulthood I never heard grandma complain about her ailments. Now she would tear into Papa if he did something to make her mad. She would also get upset with her son Eddie but the rest of us pretty well stayed on her good side. I know grandma is watching over me now and will continue to do so until I am called home. Laura Belle died of Cardio Circulatory Collapse due to Coronary Occlusion Laura Belle PHILBRICK and a HOLLAND were married about 1909.2052,2711 a HOLLAND994 was born (date unknown). Laura Belle PHILBRICK and Robert Emitt "Bob" BIRMINGHAM were married in 1910 in Houston, Harris, Texas.2052 Robert Emitt "Bob" BIRMINGHAM2052 was born on 4 April 1890 in Inez, Victoria, Texas.493,2052 He appeared in the census on 10 April 1930 in Houston, Harris, Texas.493 Age 39, married, born Texas, parents born Texas. He was a painter in the building trade and his household included his wife Laura, their 5 children, and his mother-in-law Hannah. Name on census: Robert E. Birmingham. He died on 30 April 1961 at the age of 71 in Houston, Harris, Texas.2052 Bob was buried at Brookside Memorial Cemetery in Houston, Harris, Texas.2052 Robert E. Birmingham supported his family as a self employed painter and paper hanger. He was affectionately known as Papa to his children and grand children and a very fine and honest man to all who knew him. Papa smoked Bull Durham tobacco for many years before going to what he called "ready rolls". He also enjoyed beer, some time to excess, and occasional nips of hard liquor. Papa was also a musician. He could play the guitar and the "fiddle" as he called the violin. Many times he anduncle Calvin would sit in the yard and play for the family and friends. The instrumental that was always included was "Under the Double Eagle". Papa was very close to his brothers and sisters but the distance between Victoria, San Antonio and Houston eventually resulted in fewer contacts. Brother Edward (Uncle Ed) continued to visit Papa and family until he became to ill to make the trip. Papa had been told by the Doctors that he needed to stop smoking because it was causing damage to his lungs and blood circulation to his legs. Apparently he didn't think quitting tobacco was necessary and eventually lost his left leg to circulation problems. The loss of the leg did little to slow Papa down because soon he was back to painting my house. Ultimately his lungs were unable to sustain life and he died in the arms of his grandson Clyde Pray Jr.. In one of Papas more creative moments he decided to make a batch of raisin jack. To the uninformed, this is an alcoholic beverage made by fermenting raisins in the same manor one would make wine. The quality of the beverage is certainly in question. When the process was completed Papa needed to dispose of the raisins. At this time we had a number of chickens and Papa thought it reasonable to give the raisins to the chickens. Pretty soon Mom (Maybelle Birmingham) saw all of the chickens lying on their back with their feet sticking straight up into the air. As it turns out, every chicken in the yard was drunk from eating the raisins. On another occasion, Papa and his son-in-law Calvin Adair decided to make some beer. I suppose the process was simple because in a short time they began to bottle the brew. Well, apparently the pressure of the carbonation began to build in the bottles until the caps started blowing off. There was beer all over Grandmas back porch and Grandma all over Papa. Robert died of Cardio Circulatory Collapse due to Metastatic Carcinomafrom a Carcinoma of the left lung. Laura Belle PHILBRICK-52080 and Robert Emitt "Bob" BIRMINGHAM-52177 had the following children: |